The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-05-12

him with wordy recantations, he smiled
at them inscru,ably, and they were COM
forted. They said among themselves:
"Hc took it so lightly, lie had never
cared much" Not much-you see there
wasn't the making of a hero in him. All
the glory was reserved for the men who
had gone away in uniform.
1t was in the third year OF the war
that Randolph Fairfax came home
wounded, not badly, but he had fought
splcndidly and was entitled to short
respite. He tried hard to say something
handsome and grateful to Davenport
about the way he had locked after his
wife and children during his own absence
in the army, and he sincerely hoped
those sharp and foolish words of his
about Davcnport's beard had died from
his memory. They had not-he felt
quite sure of it when Davenport, resting
his blue eyes calmly on him for mo-
ment, turned slowly on his heel and be-
gan giving directions about kit of
mackcrcl that was to be sent to old Mrs.
Murray back in the Red Lick settlement.
Fairfax did not come to the store any
more after that, but remained closely at
home on the plantation-so closely that
he did not hear what Davenport heard
one morning from the trembling lips Of
one of Fairfax's own freed slaves. What
Davenport heard was that posse of the
enemy was going to raid the neighbor-
hood that night to capture Major Fair
fax; he would be prisoner well worth
their efforts. 1t was left with Daven-
port to warn the major of his danger.
There was no one to whom he could in
trust the task. The long. lonely gallop
through the woods and across the
swollen sloughs over the weed
grown fields must be taken by himself.
1t was accomplished safely, and at a
slower pace he turned his tired horses
head homeward. He would have liked
to travel faster, for Fanny would be
worrying about his not getting home
before dark, but he must have some
mercy on the jaded beast under him.
Thank God, Fairfax would have plenty
of time to escape, if he started right
off. 1t was dark, quite dark, when he
passed from the shelter of the trees that
marked the boundary line Of Fairfax's
place out into the big road-so dark that
he did not see motionlcss group OF
horscmcn drawn across his pathway un-
til his own horse shicd violently to one
side and the single word HALT" fell
commandingly on his ears.
"Fairfax's captorsr' He had only
time to think it, when the same COM
manding voice called questioningly to
him from out the gloom, "Who goes
there7'
Randolph Fairfax" came back clear.
ly, unfalteringly, detiantly. A gurgle
of laughter, or rather chorusscd chuckle
of triumph, and then he was completely
surrounded as the posse hurried hin
forward away from Slowville. 1t wa
not of himself that he was think
ing as he galloped through tn,
somber woods with his captors tina
night. 1t was of the wife, of Fanny
watching and wondering and weeping
through the long hours alone. 1t was tim
he was bearing his share of hardships
If it was not for her, he wouldn't mind
Perhaps, when light came, they'd Civ
him a chance to write b&ck to her. H
couldn't have done different. Fairfa.
was crippled and poorly mounted
These fellows were on well-fed arm,
horses. 1t wouldn't have done to risk
the truth. On and on through the night
until, in the gray dawn Of the day
camp was reached; brief respite, the
he found himself on board transport
1t would be easy enough when he got t
headquarters to satisfy the general j
command that he was no military man
but law abiding civilian, staying q
home and pursuing his usual vocstions
When he got to headquarters an
made his statement his b.uc eyes fairl
flashed lightning to find it discredited
His interlocutor's sceptical gaze trave.e
slowly down one of Davenport's SHAPED
legs and up the other. Davenport's ow
gaze followed wonderingly and h
brown cheeks turned ashen- white. f
told all about it after his release frol
Alton military prison at the close {
war.
''lt was those red stripes down tt
side of my pants that Fanny was {
proud of. You see, had bcen in IL
saddle and out Of reach of buying an
new pants until l was about out
| 'em. Then Fanny cut up her travelin
S shawl, and, considered as the work
| an amateur, those pants were success
: if l did have to go into acorncr and fun
S round three times before could get II
S hand into my pocket; but she left Il
s bordering of the shawl in for fant
touch. Poor Fanny! i suppose: 81
$ thought she'd make me look like so
dier whether or no, and it did the bus
ness for me. 1t was more than l cou
d do to convince those fellows l wasn't
u major-generals tthe very least, inste:
of poor stay-at-home skuk. Y
IL know cur boys weren't much OF dnndi
: after The first year."
: The gallery at Davcnpor.'s is on
\ more a crowded rendezvous, and W
n yarns alternate with crop AMI polemie
J, discussions; but whenever the heroes
h Sowvllc begin to blow reminisce